pour moi? s'il vous plait?

"What the French strikers want to ignore ... are the economic facts of the end of the twentieth century: 'global capital,' the 'modern service-based economy,' the 'tough new competitive conditions of the twenty-first century,' all of which, the critics say, can be dealt with only by a more 'flexible' labor market. What the French feel is that for the past half century they have done pretty well by not facing reality -- or anyway, but facing it for one moment and then turning their backs on it for another, in a kind of endless inspired whirl through history. France is a uniquely lovely and supple place to live, and there is a reasonable suspicion here that the British and Americans and the Germans are trying to hustle the French into what is called a liberal paradise, but what no one here is quite convinced is so paradisiacal. Even Bernard Thibault, the secretary-general of the cheminots' union, said not long ago that he was willing to negotiate but that his bottom line was 'Citizens must never be transported like merchandise.' In France though, not even the merchandise is transported like merchandise." -- Adam Gopnik, Paris to the Moon, 1995 Paris, mon petit chou. You know I love you for your strikes. I love you for your love affair with the way things have always been. I love you for your complete disregard of the practical and productive in the name of the Good and the Fair. But, darling, how am I supposed to see you if I can't catch a train? I do hope all will be resolved before December 30th. Then we can celebrate the new year. Bonne Annee! For me? Please?

a sudden burst of fall

when we left seattle for two weeks to fly to the other side of the earth, where flowers are nearly blooming and days are getting longer in preparation for summer, we missed the gradual introduction to fall taking place in the northern hemisphere. so when we returned, not only were we jetlagged for the first week, but we were waking up in total darkness (or two hours late) to scarf weather and bare trees. vacation was incredible, but i can't help but feel a little bummed that i missed out on my favorite part of fall: yellow leaves, sneaky chilly breezes on an otherwise warmish day. nearly a month later, i am still battling my sleep schedule ... but have acclimated to the chill and my new wool coat. i picked up the copy of "Paris to the Moon" that i've been meaning to read for the past year this morning because a new year's in paris is tentatively scheduled and i need to get in the mood. as if i need to really "get in the mood" when it comes to paris. i'm always in the mood. i've never felt more like home in a foreign place than i did in paris ... or france in general. so, really, reading someone else's love letter to the city is, well, just kind of gluttonous. but it's winter, right? i need to fatten up.